Early Photography Archive
The Early Photography Archive presents public-domain photographs from the Art Institute of Chicago photography and media collection, with artist, process and dating context, drawn from the CC0 API and refreshed monthly. Every record links the museum page and adds technique family, origin region and era labels from our pipeline.
| Photograph | Artist | Date | Technique | Origin | On view |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsène Houssaye | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Fréderick Lamaître (French actor and playwright, 1800-1976) | Étienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Hector Malot | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Henri Martin | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Charles Monselet | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Philippe Ricord | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Édouard Siebecker | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876/84 |
| Europe | false |
| Henri Monnier | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Jules Simon | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Jules Verne | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Émile Zola (French novelist, playwright, and journalist, 1840-1902) | Étienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Alphonse Daudet (French novelist, 1849-1897) | Etienne Carjat French, 1828–1906 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Gounod | Ferdinand J. Mulnier French, active 1860–1890 | c. 1876 |
| Europe | false |
| Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian | Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army | 1871/74 |
| Americas | false |
| Yo Semite Falls, height 2,634 feet, from the series "Yo Semite Valley, Cal." | J. J. Reilly & Co. American, active late 1870s | c. 1876 |
| Americas | false |
| Yo Semite Reflected in Merced River, Yo Semite Valley, California, from the series "Yo Semite Valley, Cal." | J. J. Reilly & Co. American, active late 1870s | c. 1876 |
| Americas | false |
| Paris Fire (Palais des Tuileries, Pavillon de Marsan), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Facade of the Palais de Saint-Cloud), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May, 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Great Hall of the State Council), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Ruins of Houses, Rue de l'Hôpital [Saint-Cloud]), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May, 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Court of Honor at City Hall), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Ministry of Finance), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Place de Saint-Cloud), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (Interior of the Ministry of Finance), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (The Grand Staircase Entrance), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Paris Fire (The Facade of City Hall), from the series "Paris Incendié" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | May 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Snow Peaks, Bull Run Mining District, Nevada | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Group of Pah-Ute Indians, Nevada | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Bluff Opposite Big Horn Camp, Black Cañon, Colorado River | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Black Cañon, Colorado River, looking below from Big Horn Camp | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Black Cañon, Colorado River, Looking Above from Camp 7 | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Black Cañon, Colorado River, Looking Below, Near Camp 7 | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Black Cañon, Colorado River, looking below near Camp 7. Explorations in Nevada and Arizona, Expedition of 1871. Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, Com'd'g. | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Black Cañon, Colorado River, from Camp 8, Looking Above | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Chicago After the Fire | Artist unknown American, active late 19th century | 1871/72 |
| Americas | false |
| View across Black Cañon. The grand walls in perspective, No. 2 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian" | Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Types of Mojave Indians. This tribe inhabits the region of the lower Colorado, or western Arizona.Physically, they are the finest specimens in all the West, many of the males attaining to the height of 6 feet, No. 5 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian" | Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| View of Grand Cañon walls, near mouth of Diamond River. From water line to first shelf 1.500 feet; from shelf to top of table 3.500 feet. Distance from point of view to top of walls 3 miles, No. 6 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian" | Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Mountain transportation. Pack mule, Pack and Packers, No. 7 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian" | Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| View down Black Cañon, from Mirror Bar. The walls repeated by reflection, No. 3 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian" | Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Old Faithful | William Henry Jackson American, 1843–1942 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (Chicago after the Fire) | Attributed to George N. Barnard American, 1819–1902 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Iceberg Cañon, Colorado River, Looking Above | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Water Rhyolites, Near Logan Springs, Nevada | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Cereus Giganteus, Arizona | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Rock Carved by Drifting Sand, Below Fortification Rock, Arizona | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Alpine Lake, in the Sierra Nevada, California | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Wall in the Grand Cañon, Colorado River | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Black Cañon, looking above from Mirror Bar | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Entrance to Black Cañon, Colorado River | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |